Head unit smoking while trying to use DIY USB to Jack cable

[Jeyes]

Title pretty much says it all... And to start off I would like to say that I am totally new to car audio systems and I don't know anything, but here's the story.

I just got a new head unit but it didnt have an jack input, only a usb.

I wanted to test it out with some of my own music and not just listen to the radio... For that I obviously needed a cable - which I didnt have. I did have a jack and a usb, but they were seperate, so I cut them open and spliced them together.

The first problem was that there was no audio, but I kept on trying. Suddenly I started smelling something weird, but I didnt think much of it, until I saw smoke coming from the head unit. I quickly turned off the car and unplugged my awesome DIY cable (which took me an hour to make by the way). I took the head unit out and there was lots more smoke.

So obviously that didn't work at all, and I will have to go get a proper cable soon. But I'm wondering, what caused the head unit to start smoking? Could there be a voltage difference or something?

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[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

if you let out all the magic smoke then you probably nuked it. were you able to catch any of the smoke? if so try to put it back in.

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

I just got a new head unit but it didnt have an jack input, only a usb.

I wanted to test it out with some of my own music and not just listen to the radio... For that I obviously needed a cable - which I didnt have. I did have a jack and a usb, but they were seperate, so I cut them open and spliced them together.

what the hell are you doing? do you understand that USB and aux are two completely different signals. would you go cut open an outlet in the wall of your house start splicing it together with a coax or ethernet cable. the amount of flak you're going to get is going to be tremendous..be prepared..

 

[speedyjuarez Premium Member]

This is how all great inventors started. You're on the right track to success.

 

[Jeyes]

Well I figured that since there are USB to Jack cables I would be able to replicate it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif But no...

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

Title pretty much says it all... And to start off I would like to say that I am totally new to car audio systems and I don't know anything, but here's the story.
I just got a new head unit but it didnt have an jack input, only a usb.

I wanted to test it out with some of my own music and not just listen to the radio... For that I obviously needed a cable - which I didnt have. I did have a jack and a usb, but they were seperate, so I cut them open and spliced them together.

The first problem was that there was no audio, but I kept on trying. Suddenly I started smelling something weird, but I didnt think much of it, until I saw smoke coming from the head unit. I quickly turned off the car and unplugged my awesome DIY cable (which took me an hour to make by the way). I took the head unit out and there was lots more smoke.

So obviously that didn't work at all, and I will have to go get a proper cable soon. But I'm wondering, what caused the head unit to start smoking? Could there be a voltage difference or something?

dont feel bad buddy, ive done plenty of "MacGyvering", it doesnt always work out.

 

[Jeyes]

The ideas I have after 2 AM are rarely the best though, should have known something would go wrong //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[los33]

what the hell are you doing? do you understand that USB and aux are two completely different signals. would you go cut open an outlet in the wall of your house start splicing it together with a coax or ethernet cable. the amount of flak you're going to get is going to be tremendous..be prepared..

Wall jack to ethernet cable is considered an outlet data cable used in situations such as dish network or directv to transfer internet services to all outlet data cables.

Sent from my draconis using Tapatalk

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

^^^ this guy

 

[los33]

^^^ this guy

Sent from my draconis using Tapatalk

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

not what i meant

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Wall jack to ethernet cable is considered an outlet data cable used in situations such as dish network or directv to transfer internet services to all outlet data cables.
Sent from my draconis using Tapatalk

lol ok ******** we dont need another adulbrich. plus, the method you're referring to is if you actually splice the correct wires. I attempted to make it clear that splicing **** randomly will not net good results. dont confuse the guy, you know as well as i that he dun fucked up

 

[bdavies11 10+ year member]

This might be the best thread on these forums and there's only a dozen posts so far. Thanks for a good laugh OP! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[Tripn88]

I was going to ask why didn't you waste the 10 minutes to run to a walmart or radio shack.... Now I see your in Norway.

If it's already smoked it most likely fried that circuit already.